Aclara Wins Sustainable Innovation Award

TORONTO, May 16, 2023 - Aclara Resources Inc. ("Aclara" or the "Company") (TSX:ARA) is pleased to announce that the "SEAL Awards", which stands for Sustainability, Environmental Achievement & Leadership, has presented Aclara with the Sustainable Innovation Award at their 2023 Business Sustainability Awards. This award recognizes innovations that represent game-changing ideas that bring the world to a more sustainable future.

Ramon Barua, Aclara's CEO, commented: "We are glad to be recognized with a second sustainability award in less than 12 months, as it reflects the efforts that Aclara has been carrying out in order to become the most sustainable source of Heavy Rare Earths for clean technologies. We have recently filed our Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for the Penco Module, which reflects our commitment with the Penco community to develop a project with world class environmental attributes. We have a clean and simple process around our unique ionic clays deposit that allows us to extract its valuable Rare Earths sustainably. We will not use any explosives, crushing or milling. Our water consumption will be very low, as we recirculate up to 95% back into the process, and the remaining 5% will solely come from a recycled water source. Our main reagent is fertilizer, which will be recirculated with an efficiency close to 99%. And most importantly, we will not generate any liquid or solid waste, thus not requiring a tailings dam. Furthermore, our product is 100% free of radioactivity. Finally, we commit to revegetate all extraction areas with native species, seeking to preserve and rehabilitate natural forests. We believe that being able to produce clean Rare Earths is our main competitive advantage. At Aclara, we are moved by creating environmental wealth in everything we do."

"Corporate ESG leadership - like our 2023 honorees have demonstrated - is absolutely needed to address our climate crisis." commented Matt Harney, Chairperson and Founder of SEAL Awards. The organization honors leadership through business sustainability awards, while funding research and pursuing their own environmental impact campaigns. The 2023 SEAL Sustainability Award honorees ranged from well-recognized brands (like Cisco, Disney, GE, Honeywell, Mastercard, Procter & Gamble, and Under Armour) to high-growth companies such as Aclara.

About Aclara

Aclara Resources Inc. (TSX: ARA) is a development-stage rare earth mineral resources company with its principal project located in Chile. The Company is focused on the development of its mineral resources through a project called the Penco Module, which covers a surface area of approximately 600 hectares and hosts ionic clays rich in rare earth elements. Aclara is currently focused on the development and future construction and operation of the Penco Module, which will aim to produce a rare earth concentrate through a processing plant that will be fed by clays from nearby deposits. Aclara's extraction process offers several environmentally positive attributes such as: no blasting, crushing, or milling; no tailings facility; minimal water consumption due to a high level of water recirculation; is amenable to leaching with a fertilizer; and contains no radioactivity. In parallel with the development of the Penco Module, the Company intends to define additional opportunities to increase potential future rare earth element production via intensive greenfield exploration programs and the development of additional project "modules" within the Company's concessions.

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities legislation, which reflects the Company's current expectations regarding future events, including statements with regard to: the expectations of the Company's management as to its rare earths extraction process including estimates, projections and results in respect thereof; and future plans, commitments and strategies of the Company. Forward-looking information is based on a number of assumptions and is subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the Company's control. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the factors discussed under "Risk Factors" in the Company's annual information form dated as of March 28, 2023 filed on the Company's SEDAR profile. Actual results, timing, performance, achievements or future events or developments could differ materially from those expressed or implied herein.Unless otherwise noted or the context otherwise indicates, the forward-looking information contained in this news release is provided as of the date of this news release and the Company does not undertake any obligation to update such forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as expressly required under applicable securities laws.

For further information, please contact:

Ramon Barua
Chief Executive Officer
investorrelations@aclara-re.com

SOURCE: Aclara Resources Inc.